


Patronage

by Assimbya



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, HOMER - Works, The Iliad - Homer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-24
Updated: 2008-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-25 07:38:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1639325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Assimbya/pseuds/Assimbya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Early on in the Trojan War, Athena visits Odysseus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patronage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xiuxi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiuxi/gifts).



> Written for xiuxi

 

 

Dusk fell quickly that evening and Odysseus sat alone, away from the bustle of making fires, tending to wounds, talking over the day's casualties - all the sounds of an army at rest. "This war is a mad thing," he said to the sky and to himself.

"Yes, that it is," came a voice, and she was there, her grey eyes the same color as the twilight sky, her hair dark and straight on her pale chiton.

He smiled. "My lady." He did not stand in reverence, for such were things between them that it would have been an unneeded act of deference. And indeed she smiled back, and sat beside him, close enough for him to touch.

"You could stop the war, if you cared to," he said, and his voice was quieter, more solemn.

She did not react. "Yes, that I could." He looked at her steadily, not needing to articulate the question of why she did not stop the needless slaughter, if it was within her power. And, indeed, she responded to the question without him asking it. "There are reasons why this war must continue, reasons that no mortal, even one so clever as you, my Odysseus, can know."

He didn't question further. "I miss Ithaca," he said, in a sudden confession.

Her eyebrows arched. "And Penelope?"

He half smiled. "Yes. And Telemachus, and my father, and my old nurse. I miss my kingdom, my world. I do not wish to spend my days with hotheaded Achilles, sniveling Menelaus, and Agamemnon, who is as cold as a snake. I do not know what its divine purposes may be, but this is not a war that can be ended in brief skirmishes. It will be a long stalemate, even I can see that."

She reached out a hand, touched his uncut hair. "Odysseus, son of Laertes, you know well that a peaceful life tending goats upon Ithaca's rocky hills could not content you. You would have been wasted there. This war, however mad it may be, will give you an opportunity to show your quick thinking, your intelligence, particularly among the self-serving rabble who make up this army. You ought to thank me for that, and not complain over trifles."

He nodded, though his smile did not reach his eyes. "I do thank you, my beautiful patroness."

A moment passed, and then she took his head between her palms and kissed him, gently but deeply. He thought of olive oil, clear and golden, of the softness of well-woven cloth. When it was over, he watched her in the dusk for a few moments before saying, "I will do my best to end this war as quickly as I can."

"Its length is already decided."

He grinned. "Well, I shall decide it again. You only do concern yourself with heroes, do you, my lady? I must defy such decrees, and make myself worthy of you." In a daring moment, he kissed her again, briefly. She did not stop him.

When the jubilation of that moment had faded, he spoke quietly again. "Will you watch over Penelope for me, while I am gone? It will be hard, for her to care for an infant son and hold my throne for me."

Athena nodded. "I will be careful with her. But you needn't worry. She is a clever woman, worthy of you. She will manage." Athena stood, as though she had heard someone calling her name "I'll need to leave you now," she said, and he fancied that she seemed to regret that fact, "I'll be watching the war. Do well, my Odysseus."

He looked at her grey eyes for one last lingering moment. "I will," he told her, and meant it. 

 


End file.
